Armed Good Guys: Turning the Tide Against the Criminals

News stories of civilian self-defense seldom receive adequate media coverage. After all, armed good guys stopping violent felons does not make headlines like the lives of innocents being taken. Bias and agendas play their part, but the media does not cover an event that did not happen, such as a case where a good guy stopped a violent event before it it resulted in the loss of innocent life. However, these are exactly the type of stories we need to highlight to educate non gun owners before they head to the voting booth.

One important lesson from the video is the scuffle that ensues after the mortal shots are fired.

Police in Bountiful, Utah, released surveillance video showing a pawnshop owner break away from an armed suspect, retrieve a gun, and shoot the suspect dead.

The robbery took place May 4, 2018. However, the video was not released until July 20, 2018, in compliance with a “public records request.”

The video shows the pawnshop owner pushing a bicycle toward the front of the store while setting up his shop for the morning. Suddenly, two suspects enter through the front door. The first is armed with a hammer, and the second is armed with a gun.

The second suspect, 40-year-old Kleydys Arbolaez-Hernandez, looks in the video to be tasked with holding the shop owner while the second suspect collects the valuables. In the beginning, Arbolaez-Hernandez points his gun at the shop owner and backs him into the store. When the gunman diverts his attention to the front door, the owner slips around the corner and draws his concealed handgun. Arbolaez-Hernandez pursues the owner who opens fire, striking the suspect, who died seconds later.

One important lesson is the scuffle that ensues after shots are fired. Although Arbolaez-Hernandez was mortally wounded, he still manages to fight with owner and likely return fire. Bountiful Police Lt. Dave Edwards commented on the surveillance video pointing out, “There’s an exchange of gunfire there and ultimately, the suspect continues after the shots have been fired, attacks the store clerk until the suspect succumbs to his wounds.”

Edwards observed that the video demonstrates to viewers “the very dynamic nature of a violent encounter with an armed robber.”

Man Holds Would-Be Burglar at Gunpoint

It was a Sunday morning. The dog, Oakly, was barking. That was unusual, because she seldom actually barks, especially at 7:20 a.m. however, that’s why Oakly’s owner, Owen Turman, decided to get out of bed and head downstairs to quiet the dog.

According to an arrest report from the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, Jason Elihue Millsaps, 22, faces charges of breaking and entering, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting a public officer.

What Turman didn’t expect was a strange man in his outdoor sunroom, trying to get into the house. Turman, who lives on Culpepper Road off Wilkesboro Highway, quickly snatched his .22-caliber bolt-action rifle and went around back to confront the stranger. “I saw him turn the handle on my door and twist real hard trying to get in,” said Turman. “When I saw that, I instantly put my rifle up at him.”

He asked the man what he was doing, told him to get away from the door and to lie on the ground. The stranger followed orders. Turman was still in his underwear, when he called the police.

His fiancé and two daughters, one 6 years old and the other an infant, remained inside, unaware of what had unfolded outside. “My main concern was I have to protect my home and my family,” Turman said. “The only thing I was thinking (was) keeping my family safe.” He couldn’t help but worry about the possibility of his oldest daughter coming downstairs and finding her dad pointing a gun at another man. He was worried he’d have to shoot someone in front of his little girl.

“I want her to know home is a safe place,” he said.

Turman said that while the suspect lay on the ground, he began rummaging through his pockets. He kept trying to take needles out of his pockets and throw them under Turman’s vehicle, Turman recalled.

“Look, man, you’re making me nervous,” Turman recalled telling the man before ordering him to stop. But the man continued to dig in his pockets. An Iredell County deputy ran up seconds later.

Turman said the intruder struggled with the deputy but eventually was taken into custody.

According to an arrest report from the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect, Jason Elihue Millsaps, 22, faces charges of breaking and entering, possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting a public officer. Millsaps was given a $1,500 secured bond. His arrest report said he had consumed drugs or alcohol before the arrest.

Turman said it seemed that the man was “drugged up” because he couldn’t answer questions coherently. He added that his home surveillance video recorded Millsaps peeking into the family vehicles.

Turman said he is thankful to be a gun owner who was able to protect his family. He also said he appreciated his usually quiet dog and the responding deputies.

Do you know of a recent event of where armed good guys turned the tide on the bad guys? Should the store owner have done anything differently?What if the suspect hadn’t followed Turman’s order? What if he had fought against Turman? Share your answers in the comment section.

I’ve lived in Baltimore for a few years now. Like the bad part of Baltimore. Smack dab in the middle of where the riots were and where it gives St. Louis a run for it’s money for murder capital champ every year. We don’t call the cops here, and one’s never had to go off yet, but being an armed good guy here is imparitive to not being a victim.